A client told me my balayage looked like a bad paint job

Sage Perry · 2026-03-18T00:50:06.672189+00:00

About a year back, a regular came in for her usual touch up and just flat out said, 'Sage, this looks like you painted stripes on my head with a cheap brush.' She was right. I was rushing the placement, doing the same teasy backcomb and slap-it-on method I learned in school. I switched to a smaller, angled brush and started painting each section by actually looking at how the hair falls, not just where I think the light hits. I also stopped using foils for everything and now use more hand painting for a softer blend. It adds maybe 15 minutes to my service, but the results are way more natural. Has anyone else had a client call them out on a technique that turned out to be a bad habit?

angela_coleman6mo ago

Honestly, that client sounds rude. A lot of people just don't get the technical skill it takes, even with a faster method. Sometimes you have to work efficiently to keep prices fair for everyone.

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the_seth5mo ago

Angela's point about working efficiently is fair, but that "bad paint job" line would haunt me. I once had a client say her highlights looked like she'd been in a fight with a highlighter, and she wasn't wrong. It stung, but it made me check my saturation levels.

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kellyperry6mo ago

Used to agree with Angela about clients not knowing technique, but that comment made me actually look at my own work. Realized I was just going through the motions on balayage instead of really seeing the hair. Changed my brush and slowed down my hand painting. Now the grow out looks way better and clients book me for that soft look specifically. Sometimes the blunt feedback is what you need to fix a lazy habit.

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